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1603155

registered interest
date	10/03/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Vagrancy Act 1824
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824; and if so, when.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL6356
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2023 answer text <p>The Government does agree that the Vagrancy Act is antiquated and not fit for purpose, and therefore we have committed to repealing it. We made that commitment during the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. Our commitment to repealing it has always been dependent on introducing modern replacement legislation to ensure that police and other agencies continue to have the powers that they need to keep communities safe and protect vulnerable individuals.</p><p>I cannot give a specific date when we will bring the legislation in. We will bring forward suitable replacement legislation in a future legislative vehicle.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 24/03/2023 15:00:28 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1490069

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Private Rented Housing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the consultation on sex for rent will be launched; and whether stakeholders and relevant organisations will be invited to take part.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL1872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/08/2022 answer text <p>The Government is clear that exploitation through ‘sex for rent’ has no place in our society.</p><p>Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, there are two existing offences which can be used to prosecute this practice. In 2019, the CPS amended their guidance on ‘Prostitution and Exploitation of Prostitution’ to include specific reference to the potential availability of charges for offences under sections 52 and 53 of the 2003 Act when there is evidence to support the existence of ‘sex for rent’ arrangements. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.</p><p>In January 2021, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the first charge for ‘sex for rent’ allegations under Section 52. The individual against whom these allegations were made pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting prostitution for gain earlier this year.</p><p>These offences have also been included in Schedule 7 of the Online Safety Bill, which reflects the most serious and prevalent illegal content online. This will mean that services will be under a duty to proactively search for, remove and limit people’s exposure to this content, while also protecting users’ freedom of expression.</p><p>We are committed to improving the protection of vulnerable people from exploitation. In the cross-Government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, which was published in July 2021, we committed to working with partners inside and outside of Government on the issue of sex-for-rent.</p><p>We have also committed to launching a public consultation on the issue of sex-for-rent to hear as wide a range of views as possible on the nature of sex-for-rent; the existing response and what more could be done to prevent exploitation and protect victims. We are working to launch this consultation soon.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 01/08/2022 14:30:29 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1487494

registered interest
date	07/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Abortion: Demonstrations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) use of buffer zones outside abortion clinics, and (2) reports from women and girls who have attended such clinics in the UK that they were intimidated and harassed on arrival.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL1558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office takes the matter of protests outside abortion clinics extremely seriously and recognises the adverse impact that such protests can have on patients and staff. It is completely unacceptable that anyone should feel harassed or intimidated simply for exercising their legal right to healthcare advice and treatment.</p><p>We have conducted extensive reviews into these protests, which has included reviewing evidence from those directly affected, with the impact on women being at the centre of our consideration. We continue to welcome any new evidence on this important and sensitive issue, as we keep this matter under review.</p><p>We believe that managing harmful protests requires a locally driven response and that the police and local authorities have the necessary powers to provide this. Public Spaces Protection Orders have been implemented successfully to restrict harmful protests in Ealing, Richmond, and Manchester.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 21/07/2022 14:05:46 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1487141

registered interest
date	06/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Homes for Ukraine Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the applications of Ukrainian refugees through the Homes for Ukraine scheme are processed as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL1521
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2022 answer text <p>UKVI have issued thousands of visas under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. The latest figures can be found here: Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</p><p>Ukrainians with valid passports can now prove their identity using the UK Immigration: ID check app as part of the application. There are fewer steps to complete and an improved customer experience.</p><p>More information on the ID check app, including a video giving top tips, can be found on GOV.UK at: Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</p> answering member printed Lord Harrington of Watford question first answered 20/07/2022 16:41:51 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1487142

registered interest
date	06/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Rwanda
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1084), what is the maximum acceptable cost of transporting asylum claimants from the UK to Rwanda under the terms of the UK–Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership; and whether asylum seekers will be liable personally to fund any part of that cost.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL1522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2022 answer text <p>Under the terms of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership the United Kingdom will arrange the transport for relocating individuals to Rwanda.</p><p>We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights. However, no asylum seeker will be liable to fund any part of the costs related to their relocation to Rwanda.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 20/07/2022 16:54:37 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1331036

registered interest
date	08/06/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Firearms
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the threat posed by repurposed previously decommissioned firearms.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL868
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>This country has some of the toughest firearms controls in the world to safeguard against abuse by criminals and terrorists and to preserve public safety.</p><p>There were six recorded offences involving reactivated handguns in England and Wales in the year ending March 2020, a decrease from 11 compared with the previous year. In the same period, there was one offence involving a weapon recorded as an “other reactivated weapon”, a decrease from two in the previous year.</p><p>The controls on deactivated firearms have been strengthened in recent years. New technical specifications for deactivated firearms were introduced in 2016. The aim was to set standards which would render deactivated weapons irreversibly inoperable. The specifications were updated again in 2018. To enforce these standards, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 created a specific new offence of selling or gifting a weapon that had not been deactivated to the new specifications. The current deactivation standards are published on GOV.UK.</p><p>The Firearms Regulations 2019 further strengthened the controls through the requirement for owners of deactivated firearms to notify the Home Office regarding the possession and transfer of permanently deactivated firearms.</p><p>Our firearms law is kept under constant review to safeguard against abuse by criminals and to preserve public safety and we will not hesitate to act whenever the need arises.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 21/06/2021 14:37:30 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1315940

registered interest
date	18/05/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of writing to individuals born in the EU but naturalised as British citizens, stating that they require UK Immigration Status after 30 June in order to carry on living in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government is using every possible channel to encourage everyone who is eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) to apply. The Home Office is currently working with HMRC and DWP to send letters to EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who receive benefits, but it appears are yet to apply to the EUSS. These letters seek to encourage recipients to apply to the EUSS to protect their existing rights in the UK before the deadline of 30 June 2021.</p><p>In trying to reach as many people as possible, there may be a small number of instances where these letters are sent to recipients who are naturalised as a British citizen. The letter may also be received by a small number of individuals who have already applied to the EUSS, for example because they applied after the initial exercise with DWP or HMRC was completed, but before the letter was sent out. The letter makes clear anyone who is a British citizen or already has EUSS status does not need to take any action.</p><p>As of 30 April 2021, 4.9m grants of status had been made. The Home Office urges anyone eligible for the EUSS to apply before the 30 June deadline to ensure their rights are protected following the end of the grace period.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 02/06/2021 15:10:04 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1314177

registered interest
date	12/05/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Slavery: Victims
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many potential victims of modern slavery referred into the National Referral Mechanism who received positive reasonable grounds decisions were (1) perpetrators of serious criminality, and (2) found to have a vexatious claim.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL165
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2021 answer text <p>The UK is committed to ensuring victims of modern slavery are identified quickly and provided with the support they require to start to rebuild their lives.</p><p>More potential victims are being identified and protected than ever before. National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals more than doubled between 2017 and 2020 from 5,135 to 10,613. There is more information on referrals available at: Modern Slavery: National Referral Mechanism and Duty to Notify statistics UK, end of year summary 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</p><p>In March 2021, the Government published a report on issues raised by people in immigration detention. This provides data on some of the concerns we are seeking to address through the New Plan for Immigration. This is available at: Issues raised by people facing return in immigration detention - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).</p><p>There are concerns about the potential for a referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to be used to frustrate Immigration Enforcement processes or to gain access to support inappropriately. For example, there has been a growth in NRM referrals being made after a person enters immigration detention. In 2019, 16% of people detained within the UK following immigration offences were referred as potential victims of modern slavery. This is up from just 3% in 2017.</p><p>This raises legitimate concerns that some referrals are being made late in the process to frustrate immigration action and that legitimate referrals are not being made in a timely way. The New Plan for Immigration will address both concerns.</p><p>We are currently preparing an Impact Assessment (IA) for all elements of the Borders Bill which aims to appraise impacts of the policy changes being introduced. This appraisal is in line with HMT’s Green Book Guidance on economic appraisal and will include the modern slavery measures. Exact timings for the IA will depend on timings for the Bill itself, but the IA will be made available as early as is practicable.</p><p>We are also comprehensively assessing the equalities impacts in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL166 question first answered 26/05/2021 12:10:44 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1314199

registered interest
date	12/05/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Slavery: Victims
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact assessments they have conducted of their New Plan for Immigration policy paper, published on 24 March, on the protection and rights of victims of modern slavery as set out in (1) section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, (2) the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings, (3) the EU Directive on Human Trafficking (Directive 2011/36/EU), and (4) the European Convention on Human Rights.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2021 answer text <p>The UK is committed to ensuring victims of modern slavery are identified quickly and provided with the support they require to start to rebuild their lives.</p><p>More potential victims are being identified and protected than ever before. National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals more than doubled between 2017 and 2020 from 5,135 to 10,613. There is more information on referrals available at: Modern Slavery: National Referral Mechanism and Duty to Notify statistics UK, end of year summary 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</p><p>In March 2021, the Government published a report on issues raised by people in immigration detention. This provides data on some of the concerns we are seeking to address through the New Plan for Immigration. This is available at: Issues raised by people facing return in immigration detention - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).</p><p>There are concerns about the potential for a referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to be used to frustrate Immigration Enforcement processes or to gain access to support inappropriately. For example, there has been a growth in NRM referrals being made after a person enters immigration detention. In 2019, 16% of people detained within the UK following immigration offences were referred as potential victims of modern slavery. This is up from just 3% in 2017.</p><p>This raises legitimate concerns that some referrals are being made late in the process to frustrate immigration action and that legitimate referrals are not being made in a timely way. The New Plan for Immigration will address both concerns.</p><p>We are currently preparing an Impact Assessment (IA) for all elements of the Borders Bill which aims to appraise impacts of the policy changes being introduced. This appraisal is in line with HMT’s Green Book Guidance on economic appraisal and will include the modern slavery measures. Exact timings for the IA will depend on timings for the Bill itself, but the IA will be made available as early as is practicable.</p><p>We are also comprehensively assessing the equalities impacts in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL165 question first answered 26/05/2021 12:10:44 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

1300480

registered interest
date	08/03/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Private Rented Housing: Evictions and Harassment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) harassment, and (2) unlawful eviction, offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 have been recorded by each of the police forces in England and Wales in each of the past three financial years.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL13981
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>Offences of harassment and unlawful eviction, under the Protection from Eviction act 1977, are recorded by police in England and Wales as a subset of ‘Offence code 99, Other Notifiable Offences’. The Home Office publishes data on Police Recorded Crime by offence code.</p><p>The most recently published data, up to September 2020, can be found below: (see attached table)</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford attachment 1 file name pprc-user-guide-oct16 (1).pdf title Police Recorded Crime Stats 2 file name prc-pfa-mar2013-onwards-tables-030221 (1).xlsx title Police Recorded Crime Data 2013 - onwards question first answered 22/03/2021 17:48:08 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark